The invention relates to a sealing arrangement for a joint between an opening in a bodywork of a vehicle and a closure member received in the opening. The closure member may be, for example, a siding roof panel or a door.
It has already been proposed to employ a sealing arrangement in which the pressure in the interior of a generally tubular sealing member, which seals the joint, is increased to effect a tighter seal.
German Pat. No. 1 430 936 discloses an arrangement for sealing the door of vehicles in which a tubular sealing member has an inner cavity acted upon by pressure or vacuum as a function of the state of travel. Although this allows the door to be opened easily when the vehicle is standing still and ensures a reliable seal when the vehicle is travelling, the pressure or vaccum sources--in the form of compressors or vacuum accumulators--required for this represent a considerable expense.
German Laid Open Specification No. 30 46 459 discloses a sealing strip for an opening in a vehicle bodywork which may be closed by means of a closure member such as a window pane or a door. The sealing strip comprises a resilient hollow body which is partially compressed when the closure member is closed, and the air pressure in the hollow body is increased as a function of the aerodynamic pressure which has built up through the travelling velocity. The expenditure required for this is considerably less, but it is doubtful whether an adequate increase in pressure can be produced in the hollow body of the sealing strip with the narrow duct cross-section connected to it.
Germain Laid Open Specification No. 20 22 682 describes a seal for a joint in a vehicle body which comprises a tubular sealing portion and an actuating portion which subjects the sealing portion to increased pressure as the movable part of the bodywork is closed. In this arrangement, the additional pressure is produced in the interior of the actuating portion by subjecting a substantial part of the seal to pressure mechanically, as a result of which an increased force is required for closing the closure member.
The present invention seeks to provide a sealing arrangement which may be manufactured inexpensively and in which it is possible to close the closure member without increased resistance.